


Blue Summer Love

by crystalklances



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Coming Out, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff, Friendship, Gay Keith (Voltron), Jock Keith (Voltron), Kid Fic, M/M, Subtle Shiro/Adam, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Lance (Voltron), well they're kids but the feelings are budding, well this is a kid fic but he's a jock in the making
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 11:33:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15436143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crystalklances/pseuds/crystalklances
Summary: Keith has mixed feelings about going to summer camp for a week. This changes when he meets a boy he wants to make smile and he learns something new about himself.





	Blue Summer Love

**Author's Note:**

> My contribution for [Keith Mini Bang](http://keithminibang.tumblr.com)! Originally, it was supposed to be something entirely different, but because of my health issues, I had to rearrange my plans. Because of said health issues, this was also difficult to write at all but I fought hard through it. I hope everyone will like it.
> 
> The artwork included is by [translunarcrafts](http://translunarcrafts.tumblr.com) and [crystalpallette](http://crystalpallette.tumblr.com).  
> [CLD](http://cldreality.tumblr.com) helped me fix errors.

Keith was both excited and nervous for summer camp. Excited, because there would be all kinds of outdoors activities and most of all, _football_. Nervous, because no one he knew from school or his football team was going there, he’d be alone with a lot of strangers.

His parents reassured him that it would be fine, that all the boys would be nice and they already had one thing in common: their love for football. Keith believed them, but he was still quiet on the long drive to the campsite.

As his dad found a spot in the parking lot, Keith looked around at the stream of arriving campers. He scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion.

Leaning forward in between the front seats, he asked, “Why are there girls? I thought I was going to an all boys camp.”

“You are,” Dad replied. “But it’s a large campsite and a group of girls are gonna share it.”

“Are they playing football too?”

“I don’t think so. They’re gonna do other activities.”

“Huh.”

It wasn’t like Keith hated girls or thought they were stupid; he really didn’t, because _that_ would be stupid. He’d just always felt more comfortable around other boys, though he couldn’t explain why. It was just a feeling he had.

When they stepped out of Dad’s truck, something caught Keith’s eye. Or rather, _someone_.

A few paces away, a large family stood by a small bus. But that wasn’t what had drawn Keith in—it was the small boy they were crowded around, likely the youngest brother, to be sent to camp just like Keith was. He had warm, brown skin, brown curls reaching past his chin. He was dressed in a loose-fitting shirt, loose shorts, and a large hoodie-jacket despite the hot temperature. The color palette of his outfit, including sneakers, was blue and white; a contrast to Keith’s red and black, though they shared white accents.

Keith couldn’t take his gaze away, couldn’t stop staring, not aware that his mouth was agape like in a silent gasp. Something was stirring inside him, a deep warmth, bubbling up and setting in his chest. At the time, he didn’t know what it was; he’d never felt like this before. It was strange, unknown, but _pleasant_. Somehow, looking at this boy felt comforting, reassuring.

The boy was pouting as his family was fuzzing over him. Keith wanted to reach out, to tell him, “It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared at camp, I’m alone, too.”

 _He wanted to make the boy smile_.

As if by fate, just then, the boy looked up and right at Keith’s face. He looked surprised, lips mirroring Keith’s silent gape. But then, a shy smile formed on his lips, dimples on his cheeks and eyes crinkling, and he waved. Keith’s heart beat faster. He had to do something. He raised his hand and smiled back, just a tug upwards of his lips. The boy smiled even wider, missing front tooth showing, and Keith felt like he’d been running for ten minutes even though he’d been standing still.

Keith didn’t know how long they were smiling at each other, but he knew he didn’t want to look away. Next to him, Yorak wagged his tail and let out a happy bark before licking Keith’s face, and when the boy saw, he _giggled in delight_. Keith couldn’t remember ever hearing something sweeter and his own smile widened.

The spell was broken by a woman stroking the boy’s hair as she said, “What are you staring at, _tesoro_? Let’s get to your cabin.”

The boy turned and looked up at her. “Yes, _mami_ , I’m coming!”

Keith watched as the family walked away. His heart skipped when the boy turned to look back over his shoulder, giving him another smile. Keith waved.

He was reminded of the fact that his own family was there when a strong hand clasped on his shoulder.

“Come on, Keith. Let’s get to your cabin,” Dad said.

Keith turned and pouted when he saw that Dad was carrying his bag. “Why are you carrying my bag? I can carry it myself,” he said.

“That’s what you get for getting distracted,” Dad said with a laugh before handing Keith his bag. “There you go.”

Keith huffed and slung it over one shoulder with his arm. He may not have been as tall as his parents yet, and the bag may have been big, but Keith was strong and never afraid of heavy lifting. He was also never afraid of getting rough and dirty, which was one of the reasons he loved football. And once he was old enough, he knew he would hit the gym all the time. Until then, he would have to do with this.

They started walking off into the campsite, Dad holding a map while Mom held Yorak’s leash. Yorak was a good dog, and Keith had been really confused when he learned that dogs should have a leash when you take them for a walk, especially a big dog like Yorak. But he was older now so he understood it better. Yorak trotted next to him. Keith was the dog’s favorite, which filled him with satisfaction.

Keith looked around as they walked, taking in the surroundings. The campsite were right by a forest and a lake, and he could hear the rushing of a stream nearby, so he liked it already. Keith had always loved the outdoors. The football field was by the campsite too, as were other fields for different sports. Keith loved all sports in general, but because he’d been so passionate about football since he was a toddler, he couldn’t play them all. Maybe he could in a different life.

Eventually, Dad stopped in front of a wooden cabin. He looked at the map, then at the cabin, then turned around to look at Keith. “Looks like this is yours,” Dad said. “Are you gonna be fine?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Keith said. “Let’s go, Yorak.”

Mom and Dad shared a look before Mom said, “Yorak’s coming back home with us.”

“What? Why?”

“He can’t stay at camp,” Dad said. “You’ll see him again soon.”

“Ugh. Fine.” Keith hugged Yorak’s neck with his free arm. “See you, Yorak. Be a good boy while I’m at camp, okay?”

Yorak licked his cheek in reply.

“Don’t we get good byes too?” Dad asked.

“I was getting to that.”

Keith hugged his parents in farewell. He watched as they left to walk back to the parking lot before he took a breath and walked up the stairs to his cabin with a determined face.

He found that he was going to room with three other boys. They looked nice enough, but Keith didn’t want to jump right into getting to know them when he’d only just arrived. Two tall teenage boys, one dark skinned with glasses, the other broad with black hair and a friendly smile, came up to him. They introduced themselves as their cabin’s counsellors, Adam and Shiro, before they showed Keith where his bed was. After a brief rundown of things, Shiro and Adam led the boys outside for a tour of the campsite.

Keith tried to pay attention to everything important, like where to find the facilities or which cabin the adult supervisors and trainers lived in, or where the dining area was, or how to get to the training field. The whole time, Keith was looking around to spot the cute boy from the parking lot, but he wasn’t among any of the groups of the other players. Did his tiny frame just get lost in the sea of the crowd?

He was ready to give up seeing him again so soon, until he caught sight of blue and white clothes and brown curls from the corner of his eyes while passing the dining area again. Keith got excited—then frowned in confusion.

It was the cute, small boy… but he was walking with a group of girls, led by two teenage girls. He was hugging himself, air of discomfort tangible even from the distance. While Keith was confused, most of all, he wanted to walk over and comfort him. He wanted to make him smile again.

As if he felt Keith’s stare, the boy looked over. When he met Keith’s gaze, his lips quirked up and he let go of himself with one arm to wave shyly. Keith waved back, relief washing over him. The group of girls poked at each other and pointed, giggling. Keith thought it was weird. What was so funny?

They returned to their cabin so everyone could unpack and get settled in before lunch time. Keith kept glancing over at the bed across from him, where Shiro and Adam were sitting close together, chatting and laughing softly. Their arms were loosely around each other, they looked bright and happy. It was obvious that they must’ve known each other for years, on a daily basis, not just from camp. Like the first time he had seen the cute boy in the parking lot, Keith felt something shifting inside, the dawning of understanding _something_ , something that had been confusing before, that he’d shrugged away as just being as it is. Yet, it still felt just out of reach.

Shiro caught him staring and gave him a grin. Keith scowled with a pout and hastily looked away, fumbling with his pillow case. He could deal with those thoughts later.

Soon after, they all left for the dining arena, which was a square in the center of the campsite with a wooden pavilion. Right beside it was the larger cabin where the adult staff housed and the kitchen was located. The kitchen staff stood next to a trolley for the campers to get their food before sitting down at the tables.

Keith had no idea if there was a specific table order or if you could sit wherever you wanted, so he followed right behind Shiro and Adam. His cabin mates did the same. They got their lunch and walked over to one of the picnic tables. Keith ended up sitting next to Shiro.

After the ‘table prayer,’ everyone started eating. Keith glanced to the side and nearly gasped when he saw Shiro and Adam holding hands under the table. Not wanting to be caught staring again, his eyes wandered the crowd. He spotted the cute boy at a table nearby, with the same group of girls he had been with before. The cute boy looked timid, just as downcast as when they had passed each other during the tour. Keith wondered what it would be like to sit next to him, to reach out and take his hand, to stroke his knuckles comfortingly.

This time, he looked away before the boy could catch his gaze again. He scowled down at his plate, stabbing his fork into the meat before cutting it harshly. Suddenly, he was frustrated with his own confusion.

“What’s wrong, Keith? Do you not like Schnitzel?”

“Huh?”

Confused, Keith looked up at Shiro, who was looking at him with disguised worry, as did Adam. On the bench across, the other three looked played bored to hide their curiosity.

“You’re a little aggressive with your meat,” Shiro prompted. “Do you not like it?”

“What? No. Meat is my favorite meal,” Keith said. He tried to think of an excuse. “I was just, uh, I’m mad that I can’t have my dog at camp.”

“Ah.” Shiro nodded, but Keith had a feeling that he wasn’t really convinced. “That’s understandable.”

“Yeah,” Keith continued, keeping with the excuse. “But he’s a big dog, so I guess I know why he can’t stay at camp.”

One of the other boys piped up, “I wish I could’ve brought my cat. I miss her already.”

Now everyone started talking about their pets, and that was the topic for the rest of the meal. After that, everyone went back to the cabins to get their gym stuff and meet at the football field for a first round of exercise while getting to know everyone.

Keith was almost able to get the cute boy and all the confusion around him out of his head for the rest of the day. He saw him again at dinner, but he was also tired by then. Everyone was, from the travel to camp and the excitement of being away from home and the exercise. Because of this, everyone called an early night and retired to their cabins instead of evening activities.

The red cabin gathered together on the floor to play a game of cards Adam and Shiro had brought with them. It was fun, and Keith was proud to say that he won a good amount of rounds, but soon after, the boys’ eyes started drooping as they couldn’t hold back their yawns.

Keith almost didn’t want to get changed into pajamas, but he did. When he finally crawled under the covers, he fell asleep to the image of an adorable dimpled smile before it faded into sadness.

 

The first day started with a morning run for the entire camp. Keith was absolutely fine with that; he was used to doing this kind of thing with his parents, especially because of Yorak. He was one of the fastest, but that didn’t stop him from trying to see where the cute boy was the whole time, as he did at breakfast and later lunch.

The morning and afternoon were spent with team building exercises for his group along with their cabin counsellors. Keith learned that all of them were football players as well, among the best on the teams of their middle or high school. Most of them had been to camp when they were younger too, and now wanted to help shape more young players by being mentor figures like others had been for them. Keith thought that was cool and he wondered if he could do that too one day. He wondered if his parents had done this kind of thing. His dad definitely, he thought.

After dinner, kids were free to play as they wanted. Keith wasn’t sure what to do, just walked around a little aimlessly as he looked around for an idea. As he approached the small playground, he spotted the cute boy sitting on a bench a short distance away from it. He looked sad and lonely, holding a small, blue plush cat on his lap. His feet didn’t reach the ground. Keith noted that he was still always wearing the oversized hoodie. But most of all, he felt a stab of displeasure at seeing his expression. He wanted it _gone_. He wanted to see the cute smile return.

His heart started beating faster as he looked around, seeing that no one else seemed to care. This was his chance to approach him, to talk to him.

He tried to come up with how to go about it. Somehow, his mind recalled the moment at the parking lot. The boy’s mother had called him Tesoro, hadn’t she? That had to be the boy’s name, right? And knowing someone’s name was always a good way to bond, _especially_ when you wanted to make the other person smile, which was Keith’s main goal here; his own personal mission.

With a determined nod to himself, he strode forward to the bank for his heroic entrance, casually sitting down right next to him on the bank with one arm on the backrest.

He looked at the boy and said, “Hi, Tesoro.”

The boy stared up at him with wide eyes, mouth agape and a blush on his face. He didn’t say a word.

Keith furrowed his eyebrows, confused. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“No,” the boy finally squeaked out.

“Then why did your mom call you that?”

“It’s, it’s just something affectionate she calls me,” the boy replied.

“Huh. So what _is_ your name?” Keith asked.

The boy hesitated, biting the corner of his lip. Finally, he said. “Lance. The name’s Lance.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lance,” Keith said, holding out his hand like he had learned. “I’m Keith.”

Lance’s lips finally quirked up as he took Keith’s hand. Keith noticed how small his hand was. “Nice to meet you, Keith.”

Keith needed to keep a conversation going, in a way that would keep Lance smiling. His eyes darted at the plush cat. He recalled how Lance had lit up because of Yorak in the parking lot. With a smile he, Keith asked, “And what’s the cat’s name?”

Lance still seemed shy, but there was a spark in his eyes as he replied, “Her name is Blue.”

“Cool! She kinda looks like my own plush cat, you know. His name is Red.”

“Did you bring Red with you, too?” Lance asked.

Keith shook his head. “Nah, Red is staying at home to look after my parents.”

Lance giggled, and like the first time he had heard it, Keith felt it was the most beautiful sound. But then, his expression fell, and he looked nervous. He blurted out, “You don’t think it’s silly for a boy to love plushies?”

“No. Why would it be?” Keith said. “I’m older now so I’m less attached to them, but I still love my plush friends. My dad still has some old plush bears, too. Plushies are for everyone.”

There was a moment of pause. When Lance spoke again, his voice was quiet. “This is the first time I’m away from home without my family. It was a little scary and I miss them. So I took Blue with me so I’m less lonely.”

Keith’s heart clenched. He took Lance’s hand in his own again and gave a reassuring squeeze along with a smile. “It’s okay to be scared, I was nervous too. But you’re not alone. I’m here.”

Lance’s smile came back, shy, a little watery, but it warmed Keith on the inside. Lance’s voice remained soft when he said, “Thank you, Keith.”

Keith squeezed Lance’s hand another time to show that it was no problem, he was happy to comfort Lance, before pulling his hand away. Figuring that casual questions that they could both relate to was the way to go, he asked, “What cabin are you staying in?”

“The blue cabin,” Lance replied. “And yours?”

“I’m in the red cabin.”

Lance giggled. “They match our cats.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty cool.” Keith smiled. He thought of the next question. “What are you at camp for?”

“I play football.”

Keith gaped for a second. He hadn’t expected that. “Really? Me too!” He grinned.

“Wow. We have a lot in common.” Lance grinned back, his missing front tooth in plain view only adding to the charm of his dimples and upturned nose.

Before Keith could say anything else, a voice called out, “Hey, Keith, Adam and Shiro want to show us another card game! Are you coming?”

Keith looked up and saw his cabin mates a short distance away. He was torn; he wanted to keep talking to Lance, but he also knew that he shouldn’t say no, especially because their counsellors were cool. He called back, “Yeah, I’m coming! Just a second!” He turned to Lance and said, “I’m gonna meet you again tomorrow, okay? Sleep well tonight.”

Lance had looked downcast for a brief second, but he gave a small smile and a nod. “Okay. Thank you, and have fun with the games.”

Keith nodded. “See you!”

He jumped off the bench with a smile and a wave, then jogged off before he could see Lance’s expression fall again.

 

The next day, Keith’s group did intensive training. By the end of the afternoon, everyone was exhausted. Keith didn’t want to get up anymore after dinner, but everyone had to help clear the tables. So instead, he plopped down on the nearest spot of grass after that was done, just staring up at the sky.

A cute face appeared in his vision.

“Are you cloud-watching?” Lance asked.

“More like don’t wanna bother moving right now,” Keith deadpanned. “But I guess that works.”

“Maybe we could cloud-watch together?” Lance asked shily.

“Sure.” Keith patted the space next to him. “Go right ahead.”

Lance smiled and not a moment later, he was on the grass next to Keith. They were only inches apart. Keith was hyper-aware of how close Lance was, how easy it would be to hold his hand again. He thought back to Adam and Shiro holding hands. He breathed in and out to dispel his thoughts.

There was silence before Lance asked, “Is training that harsh for a boy’s group?”

Confusion bubbled up again. Keith ignored it, too tired right now. “I mean, it can get pretty harsh,” he said. “It’s a rough sport.”

Lance huffed out a sound that Keith couldn’t tell if it was a “huh” or a hum. He said, “I’m tired too but I guess they make sure we don’t overdo it.”

“Huh.”

“Did _you_ overdo it?” Lance asked.

Keith turned his face to the side. Lance was looking at him, a hint of worry shining in his eyes. Keith noticed how _blue_ they were—as blue as the clear summer’s sky. Lance held his gaze, but Keith turned to stare at the sky again. “Maybe I did.”

“That’s not good, you know,” Lance scolded. “If you overdo it, you need a lot of time to rest and can’t keep going back to training.”

“I know that.” Keith pouted. “But I get so caught up that I don’t notice, especially when it’s intense.”

“Maybe if you tell your counsellors, they can make sure you tone it down,” Lance suggested. “They seem like really nice guys.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Keith sighed. “I guess you’re right. Thank you, Lance.”

“Don’t mention it.” A pause. “But maybe you should go rest at your cabin instead.”

Keith sighed again. “Maybe.” He sat up slowly, wincing at his sore muscles, and looked down at Lance with a tired smile. “Let’s play together tomorrow.”

“Yeah!” Lance smiled. “Make sure you get lots of rest, okay?”

“Okay.”

He stood and waved before he walked away slowly. Once he entered red cabin, he collapsed on his bed with a groan.

He closed his eyes for a moment and was ready to drift off when the door of the cabin opened. His eyes shot open again.

“Keith?” Shiro’s voice sounded from the entrance.

Keith turned so he could face the door. Shiro and Adam stepped in together, as close as ever. He said, “Yeah?”

They walked up to his bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress by his feet. Shiro asked, “Is everything alright?”

Keith nodded. “Yeah. Just tired.”

“We noticed that you seem to be a lot more tired than your campmates,” Adam said. “Do you feel unwell? Are you getting sick.”

Keith shook his head. “I guess I just really get into it when it’s intense. I’m kind of a hothead.”

“Ah. I suppose we should’ve had an eye on you.”

“It’s fine, I’m just gonna rest up like Lance told me to,” Keith said. “It’s funny because he also told me to tell you that I’m a hothead so you can have an eye on me.”

Adam and Shiro shared a confused look. “Who’s Lance?”

“You know, the boy with the brown skin and nice curly hair and blue eyes like the sky? He’s always wearing a huge hoodie.” Keith raised an eyebrow at them. Maybe counsellors only needed to know the kids they were responsible for.

They shared another look, but then confusion made way for an encouraging smile. Shiro said, “He must be special if you can describe him like that.”

Keith pouted. “He is. The first time I saw him was at the parking lot and then I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He always looks so shy and sad, but his smile is really adorable. I want to make him smile all the time.” He turned to the side and groaned into his pillow. “I wish I could hang out with him more, but he’s camping with girls.”

Adam said, “You know, tomorrow is a free activity day. You could spend it with him.”

“Really?” Keith perked up. “Can we do whatever we want?”

“For the most part, yes,” Adam replied. “You could stay around the cabins, or you could sit by the lake shore. There might also be a group going for a small tour to the forest.”

“Cool. I’ll see what Lance wants to do.”

“That’s a good idea.” Shiro smiled. “Well, we’ll leave you to rest, then. We’re gonna check in on you again soon with some water.”

“Okay.”

Keith watched as they left, their hands linking.

He sighed. He wanted to hold Lance’s hand again.

As he closed his eyes and drifted off, it was to the image of impossibly blue eyes and freckles like stardust—and the sound of giggles and the smile that filled his chest with such warmth.

 

The next day, some time after breakfast, Keith and Lance decided to walk down to the lake and just sit by the shore to relax and enjoy the nature. Keith carried a basket with some snacks and bottles of water they got from the kitchen staff, while Lance carried a small blanket they could sit on.

Keith wouldn’t have minded going to the forest, but Lance had lit up at the mention of the lake so Keith was happy to go along with the choice. He also liked that they could find a quiet spot to sit together like that.

And that’s when Keith learned that Lance had _a lot_ to tell, about anything that came to mind, and Keith was ready to listen to _everything_. Lance was so lively while talking, Keith never wanted him to stop. He made sure to show Lance that he was interested, prompting him to continue, asking small questions to keep going.

But most of all, he couldn’t stop smiling because of how warm he felt looking at Lance, seeing him so open and bright. He wanted nothing but happiness for Lance. He wanted to give him the world, the whole galaxy, because that’s what he deserved. He wanted the spark in his summer sky eyes to be there always.

Lance talked a lot about his family; how his mother gave the best hugs, how his older siblings teased him sometimes but were there to comfort him when he was upset.

He talked about how all of his siblings played football, too, and how there was a lot of pressure because he had to be as good as them. How he was scared he couldn’t be like them, because he so small, so he couldn’t play as ‘keeper’ or ‘defense’ like them. How he loved being a ‘midfielder’ but anxious that he’s the odd one out in the family.

Keith was confused about the words he was using, but he didn’t really care because what mattered was that Lance was talking—and that he could cheer up. So in turn, Keith talked that he felt pressure too; because his mom was a pro player, and his dad had played the whole way until he was done with school. Even though Dad was now a total hero as a firefighter, Keith still knew that he could’ve made it to the pro league. His parents were his heroes and their legacy was large, but they always told him the important part was to have fun playing no matter what. He told Lance that he should have fun playing no matter what too, and that he was sure that Lance’s family would feel the same.

Lance’s smile came back, and Keith felt good. He felt warm and fluttery inside.

A few paces away, someone asked, “Can we join you?”

Looking up, Keith saw Shiro and Adam. Keith glanced at Lance, who looked guarded, until he relaxed and nodded shily. Keith followed his line of sight. Shiro and Adam were holding hands again.

Keith looked up at them and said, “Sure.”

Shiro and Adam smiled as they closed the distance and sat down next to them.

There was silence until Shiro turned to Lance and said, “You must be Lance.”

The way Lance beamed like a christmas tree lighting up might’ve been the most beautiful sight Keith had ever seen.

Lance nodded. “Yeah! I’m Lance.”

“It’s nice to meet you. How do you like it at camp?”

“It’s nice, but…” Lance trailed off.

“But…?” Adam prompted.

Lance hesitated. He glanced down at their hands with their fingers still linked. Keith wanted to hold Lance’s hand, but he didn’t, kept his hand by his side. Finally, Lance said, voice soft, “I feel a little… out of place, because…” A steadying breath. “Because I’m trans, but no one at school knows yet that I’m a boy.”

“So you feel like you don’t fit in with the girls, but you can’t be with the boys?”

Lance nodded. “Everyone is nice. But… feeling like I’m not myself, that’s why I’m so shy. At school too. Only my family knows, and you.”

There was silence again.

“You should tell them.” Everyone looked at Keith. He hadn’t thought before speaking, but now he had to keep going. “You should tell them that you’re a boy. You should be yourself, because you’re wonderful. You’re a wonderful boy, and the world should know.”

Lance looked at him with wide eyes, until he laughed shily. “Maybe I will tell them.”

The conversation moved on, but Keith’s own words stuck in the back of his mind.

They were different, but maybe he could learn from the advice himself.

 

The remaining days went by. Keith had training games with his group. When there was downtime, he laughed and played with Lance. Before sleep, his cabin played card games and told spooky stories.

Before Keith knew it, the week at camp was over. The final night, they had a campfire and all sat together, singing songs and talking. It would be a little strange, saying goodbye the next day.

The final morning was spent packing their bags and making sure the cabin was clear.

When they were done and the other boys had already left, Keith stayed behind, hesitating. He’d been thinking about it, whenever he wasn’t occupied. He’d been thinking about why he felt more comfortable around boys. Why he felt so warm when he looked at Lance. Why he thought that Lance, especially, was so cute.

He’d come to a conclusion, and he kind of wanted to tell someone. Someone he knew would definitely understand. Someone like Shiro and Adam.

The two teens were still finishing up their own packing, laughing softly to each other. Keith watched them. They looked so happy together, so comfortable and at ease with each other, just as loving as Keith’s parents. He wondered if he could have that, when he was older. He wondered if _Lance_ could be that someone by his side.

When they noticed that Keith was still standing there, Shiro seemed to sense that there was something on his mind. He didn’t say anything, but his face was open and encouraging.

Keith took a breath and blurted out, “I think I might like boys.”

Adam and Shiro smiled warmly and said that they liked boys, too.

Everything was still the same, but Keith felt good, feeling less confused about his feelings now.

Everyone gathered outside to say farewell. Lance came running up to him. Keith smiled. His heart skipped a beat at Lance’s grin.

“I have something for you,” Lance said. “Close your eyes and give me your hand.”

Keith was confused but he said, “Okay.”

He closed his eyes and held out his right hand. He felt something being wrapped around his wrist. When Lance told him he could look again, he looked at his arm. What he found was a red and blue bracelet made from soft, but sturdy string. He looked up at Lance.

“A friendship bracelet,” Lance said. He held up his left arm, revealing a similar bracelet around his wrist. “I made matching ones for us. They’re the same pattern, but opposite colors. I wanted to put our names on it, but I didn’t have enough time to try that.” He laughed softly.

Keith smiled. “I love it. Thank you, Lance.”

Lance smiled back.

Keith didn’t know who moved first, but they both leaned in for a brief hug. It was just a simple contact, but Keith felt it was _right_. It felt warm, like home.

They said farewell when Lance was called over by his cabinmates to take a picture together. There was a skip in his step when he joined them. It was only now that Keith noticed that for the first time, he saw Lance without his hoodie. The camp shirt he was wearing looked the same as the one Keith was wearing.

Keith smiled.

They had only known each other for a week, but Keith would treasure the memory. He would never take off the friendship bracelet unless he had to.

There was no way to tell if he could ever see Lance again. But in his heart, he hoped that fate would let their paths cross again, one day.

**Author's Note:**

> And here are the direct links to the artworks! Please give them a reblog if you like them!  
> [Cover Art](https://crystalpallette.tumblr.com/post/176288817971/aaaaa-well-heres-my-attempt-at-a-book-style)  
> [Exchanging the bracelets](https://translunarcrafts.tumblr.com/post/176289827633/mwahahaha-bet-you-thought-i-was-done-didnt-you)
> 
> I want to write a sequel eventually, because I could only do one part of their story within the time frame with my current struggles.
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/crystalklances), [tumblr](https://crystalklances.tumblr.com) and [instagram](https://instagram.com/crystalklances) where you can find out about different ways you can support me!


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